Purpose: Chronic compartment syndrome of the forearm is considered to be exceptional but may be underestimated. Compartment syndrome of the upper limb is recognized but generally considered to be non-specific compared with acute Wolkmann syndrome. Chronic compartment syndrome, or “subacute compartment syndrome” is also well known but often associated with exertion of the lower limbs in athletes. The association of a compartment syndrome of the upper limb and a chronic compartment syndrome was just recently described since the first publication appears to be the paper by Tompkins in 1997. Scare reports have reported a few cases since then.

Material and methods: We report our personal experience with ten cases with a minimum follow-up of six months.

Results: Compared with the literature, the analysis of our series provides an explanation of the clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic features of chronic exercise syndromes of the forearm.

Discussion: A better awareness of this pathological condition will probably enable earlier and more surgical care of these athletes who are handicapped by these syndromes well known in the motocross world as “forearm tetany” or “armpump””.

Purpose: Management of septic nonunion of long bones is a difficult challenge requiring a multidisciplinary approach. The purpose of this study was to report our results with a two-stage technique using a spacer (Masquelet technique).

Material and methods: Between June 1997 and July 2001, eleven patients were treated for septic nonunion (n=7) or suspected septic nonunion (n= =4). There were seven men and four women: mean age 38 years (26–51). Nonunion involved the humerus (n=1), the femur (n=1), and the tibia (n=9). The same surgical technique was used in all cases: “carcinologic” debridement with gap filling using antibiotic cement and osteosynthesis when necessary, followed by a second procedure two months later to remove the spacer and insert an autologous bone graft when laboratory results had returned to normal.

Results: Mean follow-up was three years (1–5). All patients achieved per primam bone healing within 4.5 months (3–6) despite a mean bone gap of 55 mm (15–100) after avivement. Intraoperative samples taken during the second procedure were negative and there was no recurrent infection or need for revision.

Discussion: This two-phase technique has provided encouraging results in terms of “infectious cure” and bone healing. A standardised approach to the treatment of septic nonunion of long bones as used in our centre should provide data validating this technique.